Escape
by Yumei Hikari
Summary: He wouldn’t wait until tomorrow. He knew what he had to do, and he would do it without hesitation....
1. Prologue

Escape  
  
Disclaimer: If this were original, it wouldn't be fanfiction, would it? ^o^  
  
Author's Note  
  
This is my first fanfic here at Fanfiction.net. So, since I'm a newbie, I'd appreciate it if anyone'd point out any mistakes I make and give constructive comments. Thanks!  
  
Prologue  
  
Outside, the wind was howling with an unearthly sound as it whistled violently through the leaves of the trees, and the thick haze of a dark cloud obscured the light of the moon, casting strange shadows in the room. A storm would arrive soon.  
  
The boy pensively sat in the darkened area of his house, his eyes fixated on a shadow on the wall which resembled a large, clawed hand, but was in reality a tree branch waving outside the window.  
  
His father had gone out as usual, not to return until much later that night. Meanwhile, unable to sleep, he stayed awake in the darkness, unable to switch on any lights because their electric supply had been cut off again. He had a feeling, almost a premonition that something was about to happen that night.  
  
As though on cue, a loud knock sounded on the front door. Startled, the boy leapt up from his seat and stared in dismay at the door.  
  
The knocking sounded again, seeming more impatient this time, and the boy felt as though the sound echoed into every corner of the house. His small body quivered with fear. He considered running into his room to hide, and he started to turn, when -  
  
"Hello, is anybody home?"  
  
The voice was strange to him, and he turned back to the door. Reaching out, his hand grasped the cold metal of the doorknob and turned it, pulling it open as far as the chain on the door would allow. There was a man standing there outside the door, and next to him.  
  
The boy slammed the door shut, unhooked the chain, and then yanked it open again. The man was supporting the boy's father, who was drunk as always and unable to stand up properly. Seeing the door open, the man helped the drunk into the house and onto a sofa where he fell asleep.  
  
Wiping his brow from the effort, the man turned to look at the boy. "What took you so long to answer the door, kid?"  
  
"I was. afraid." the boy replied hesitatingly.  
  
"Of what? Say, can we get some light in here? It's rather dark."  
  
"We don't have electricity. He. I mean, my dad. didn't pay the bill again, so."  
  
"Yes, he did tell me that he was having money troubles, in between all that drinking." the man broke off and cast a quick glance at the drunk on the sofa, shaking his head a little as he did so.  
  
"Anyway, kid, that's why I'm here." He held out a hand for the boy to shake. "I'm Kazataki Ken. I work for Shiromi International. Anyway, kid, I'd like to make you an offer you can't refuse."  
  
Author's Note  
  
This is my first fanfic here at Fanfiction.net. So, since I'm a newbie, I'd appreciate it if anyone'd point out any mistakes I make and give constructive comments. Thanks! 


	2. Chapter 1

Escape  
  
Disclaimer  
  
If this were original, it wouldn't be fanfiction, would it? ^o^  
  
Author's Note  
  
I haven't entirely figured out the system here yet. so if you think there's something wrong with my fic, please point it out, and how to correct it. Thank you!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Closing the door softly behind him, he entered the small house, surveying the space inside. As usual, the place was a mess, the filth and stench of it unbearable. Likening the place to a pigsty would have been an insult to pigs. Filthy as it was, though, he was used to it, because for him, this was the place he called home.  
  
And then he noticed the man standing in one corner of the room, looking at him through bloodshot eyes, which were very nearly hidden by his tangled and matted mass of dark hair. The old man had been waiting for him, he realized.  
  
Pretending that he hadn't seen him, he tried to walk away, but the other man crossed the room quickly and grabbed him.  
  
"'They' called again," he hissed, his face just inches away from Rukawa.  
  
A look of disgust crossing his face, Rukawa pulled away. The old man had been drinking again.  
  
"I've already told them 'no'."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Glaring at him, Rukawa spat out, "Why? Why should I do it in the first place? So that you can spend it all on alcohol?"  
  
The other man grunted.  
  
"I'm not going to do it anymore," Rukawa repeated.  
  
"You have to. I already told them you would."  
  
"Screw them and screw you."  
  
The drunken man swung his fist at him, but the boy was faster and he stepped back, causing the old man to stumble. "You don't talk to me like that, I'm your father!" he shouted.  
  
"You stopped being my father a long time ago," Rukawa said in a monotone.  
  
Stepping past the man, he went into his room and slammed the door behind him.  
  
Moments later the door rattled in its frame. Sighing softly as he leaned against the door of his room, he ignored his father's pounding fists against the hardwood.  
  
He gazed fondly around his room. his refuge, his sanctuary. The only room in the entire house that was clean ad neat. Lying down on his bed he continued to let his gaze rest on the things he prized most. The NBA poster on his wall, the closed closet door which hid his brand-name sportswear, his Spalding basketball.  
  
All of it bought with the money he had obtained from 'working' for Shiromi & Co. International. He was tired of his 'job', but he knew he couldn't escape it. As long as they had his father's permission, they could do as they liked with him. And his father was willing to do whatever they asked, as long as he had cash to blow on alcohol. And as long as he lived here, they knew where to find him.  
  
Sitting bolt upright, he glanced at the clock on the wall directly facing him.  
  
He wouldn't wait until tomorrow. He knew what he had to do, and he would do it without hesitation.  
  
This was something he should have done a long time ago.  
  
For The Reviewers:  
  
What? Nobody reviewed? Wh-Why?? Is my ficcie that bad? T_T 


	3. Chapter 2

Escape  
  
Disclaimer  
  
If this were original, it wouldn't be fanfiction, would it? ^o^  
  
Author's Note  
  
Happy New Year! Happy Birthday, Rukawa!! This is going to my last update in a loong while - I have a really big exam coming up. Need to study. Grr.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Darn that kid."  
  
"Rukawa, huh?" Ayako guessed, observing the brown-haired boy she knew so well.  
  
Ryota turned to the pretty, curly-haired girl standing next to him, a distracted look on his face. "How could he fail to show up for practice today? We have a big match against Ryonan tomorrow! It's so unlike him."  
  
"Maybe he's ill?" she suggested.  
  
"But he was in school earlier today, I saw him. Hey! Who left that there? I said put back everything!" Ryota had stopped mid-sentence to yell at a couple of boys who had forgotten to put back a basketball and had simply left it on the floor of the court.  
  
Practice had just ended, and Shohoku High's basketball club members were making a mad dash for the showers, intending to beat the crowd. As usual, they left a mess behind without cleaning up properly, and this rather infuriated Ryota, who was team captain.  
  
He was about to walk over to them and reprimand them for their irresponsibility, but Ayako had beaten him to it.  
  
Thwack!  
  
Wincing, Ryota peeked between his fingers at the two boys kneeling over and clutching their heads, whilst their team manageress stood over them, a large paper fan in one hand. Normally, such a weapon wouldn't cause much harm, but with Ayako's strength.  
  
Forgetting for the moment about the absence of their ace player Rukawa Kaede, Ryota and Ayako locked up the gym after making sure all the equipment was kept and the place emptied, and then left together.  
  
"Damn, how could I have been so careless?" he chided himself as he half-ran back in the direction he had come from, his form highlighted by the streetlights that lined the area.  
  
A middle-aged couple turned to stare at him as he ran by, but he ignored them and continued on his way. It was nothing new to have people stop to look at his bright red hair, the colour of which was rather remarkable, considering the fact that he was a born and bred Japanese youth.  
  
As he approached the front gates of Shohoku High, Sakuragi felt his heart drop into the lower regions of his stomach. The gates were locked, and there were no lights on in the school compound.  
  
Hoping dearly that someone might still be in the gym, he vaulted over the fence - an easy feat considering his height - and ran towards the direction of the gym, only to discover that the lights in there were off too.  
  
From the front gates he couldn't get a clear view of the gym, but now he knew for sure. Nobody was there. All traces of hope left him. Now he would have to beg Ryota for the key, and then he'd never hear the end of it for being so careless - or maybe he could just come back the next day during practice. but no, it would definitely be gone by then.  
  
Panicked and confused, he slammed his head against the door in an effort to clear his thoughts. And then an idea occurred to him. He'd done it before. Why not again?  
  
Glancing furtively around him, he reached for the door handle and tried to force the door open - But to his surprise, the door slid open easily.  
  
Muttering to himself, he made his way in the direction of the benches where he had left behind his prized possession. "Darn that Ryo-chin. must be getting old, forgetting to lock the door like that."  
  
Making his way to the benches, he felt for the misplaced object and then drew his hand back in surprise when he felt his hand brush against something soft.  
  
"What the heck was that?' he yelped.  
  
He walked away and a few moments later, the gym was bathed in light. His hand still on the light switch, he squinted in the direction of the bench, his eyes still trying to adjust to the sudden light.  
  
There was a person lying on his side facing away from him, but Sakuragi would recognize that head of messy black hair anywhere.  
  
"Rukawa?"  
  
For The Reviewers: Thank you all for reviewing!  
  
anime_luverjc ( I'm not sure yet if I'm going to make it a RuHana. I'm rather inexperienced at writing yaoi. ^^;  
  
Kiku_Rukawa ( I guess you're right, the prologue was too short to preview. ^^: Haha. My first fic, I'm worried that it will turn out to be a flop. And, as you can see from this chapter, Ryota is team captain, so it takes place halfway through Rukawa's second year at school. Thank you for the Christmas present, it's lovely!  
  
himura_sadako ( What Rukawa does for work? ^o^ Everyone wants to know that, huh? Wait and see. I'd tell you if I could, but I'm still trying to figure it out myself. :P  
  
teh_tarik ( I don't accept anonymous reviews? How do I fix that? Oh, and your nick. are you Malaysian? 


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